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about

Performed and recorded live on August 12 2016 at Teatro José Rubén Romero, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.

Presented here mixed down to stereo, and in slightly edited form, that
is with shortened intros. "Black Sky" was orginally played as one long
continuous piece, but was split into two parts for this release.

An 8-channel playback system was used for the concert, and the pieces
were conceived more as "sound sculptures" than traditional concert
pieces.

Write to info@markusreuter.com
should you be interested in an unedited 5.1 mix of this concert, which
was created by the renowned Mexican sound engineer Carlos Cortes.

Thanks to CMMAS (www.cmmas.org) for
the invitation to play in Morelia. In particular I would like to thank
these wonderful people: Sebastian Torrella Reinoso, Paulina López
Salazar, Silvia de la Cueva plus all the rest of the CMMAS team.

Very special thanks to my friends Carlos Cortes, Daniel Rosas, and
Sergio Osvaldo Camacho for their assistance and for keeping me company,
and George Bley for everything else.

An evening of electronic music with four virtuosos of the genre: Ian Boddy, Mark Shreeve, Bernhard Wöstheinrich & Gaston Klares

“Fleet” (DiN53) is the seventh concert album by the duo ARC (DiN label boss Ian
Boddy and Mark Shreeve). This fact alone should tell you how popular
this musical partnership is in a live setting where they continue to
dazzle audiences with their mix of live electronics underpinned by huge
slabs of analogue sequencing.

“Fleet” was recorded to multitrack at the E-Scape Electronic Music
Festival in Halesworth, Suffolk on 13th May 2017. On returning to the
studio this allowed Mark Shreeve to mix and master the resulting
performance in fine detail to produce a stunning, dynamic album that
preserves all the power and richness of their live show. The seven
tracks, complete with enthusiastic audience ambience, spans almost 78
minutes for the next best thing to actually being there!

What is most evident on this ARC album are the richly harmonic themes,
most notably in the opening title track which builds and grows through a
series of gorgeous melodies to it’s climax. Tracks such as “Soar” are
more delicate in nature with distant mellotrons overlaid with
intertwining sequencer patterns whereas “Crux” opens with a spooky
ambient section before ramping up to a live sequencer fest that lovers
of Berlin School electronica will lap up. ARC always like to leave the
stage with a bang and for the last...more

credits

released October 20, 2017

All tracks composed, played & produced by Ian Boddy & Mark Shreeve.
Recorded in concert at the E-Scape electronic music festival, The Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk on May 13th 2017.

Materiaal
Series, Part VIII | On March 25, 2016, Gaston Klares and Bernhard Wöstheinrich met in the 'Radio Modul' basement studio in
Berlin-Kreuzberg for an elaborate recording session in between stacks of
their electronic appliances.

From 1992 until 2014 Gaston Klares was the host of the well-established
Luxembourgian Electronic Music radio show "Silent Running" (Radio ARA).
He is still an active steam punk artisan and a spaced-out synth-wizard.

In these sessions the two like-minded fellows take a deep bow to the
fore-mothers and -fathers of the movement of traditional electronic
music and drift about in deep pulsating electronic ostinatos and
coalescing soundscapes.

The title and the track names of this release are referencing the names of native tribes from the Northwest American Coast.

The first half of tonight's show will feature Steven Wilson's new release.

From the Steven Wilson HQ: My fifth record is in many ways inspired by the hugely ambitious
progressive pop records that I loved in my youth (think Peter Gabriel’s
So, Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love, Talk Talk’s Colour of Spring and Tears
for Fears’ Seeds of Love).

Lyrically, the album’s eleven tracks veer from the paranoid
chaos of the current era in which truth can apparently be a flexible
notion, observations of the everyday lives of refugees, terrorists and
religious fundamentalists, and a welcome shot of some of the most joyous
wide-eyed escapism I’ve created in my career so far. Something for all
the family!”– Steven Wilson

The second half of tonight's show will feature a new, download-only release from Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter.

DiNDDL19 | released September 8, 2017 | Released on the download only
sub-label of DiN, “Stay”, once again showcases the musical virtuosity
& understanding of these two renowned composers.

“Memento” (DiN52) was the fifth DiN CD collaboration between the
musical duo of Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter. The bulk of the material
was recorded by the two musicians at the private studio of Boddy in the
North-East of England. As so often happens in these sessions more music
was laid down than could be used in the final release. The tracks on
“Memento” oscillated between the more up-tempo pieces such as the title
track & the two glorious ambient soundscapes, “Linger” and the album
closer “Stay”. On reflection Boddy & Reuter decided to record some
further material in the style of the latter two tracks, use one of the
unreleased pieces and to mix an extended version of “Stay”, to create a
new work that would be a companion piece to “Memento”.
Thus “Stay” (DiNDDL19) contains six tracks that reflect and extend
the languid mood of the quiet moments found on “Memento”. Each of the
tracks uses a different musical mode that gives each a different
flavour. The pieces are built on the foundation of one of Reuter’s
looped touch guitar soundscapes with Boddy employing his analogue
modular systems, ranging from the haunting Ondes Martenot like solo
lines of the opener “Waken” to the growling menacing tones of his Serge
modular in “Vesper”. credits
All tracks composed, played and produced by Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter (September 2016 – May 2017).
Mixed by Ian Boddy (June 2017).
Mastered by Markus Reuter (July 2017).
Ian Boddy:
Keyboards, Serge & Eurorack modular
Markus Reuter:Touch Guitars® AU8, 6-string Electric Guitar, Looping, Programming, soundscapes

"I make no bones about it, I love the Beatles, from "Meet the Beatles" to "Abbey Road"
-- every album is extraordinary. I'm hardly alone in my praise. Every
fan has their own story arc and mine is deep and long. Speaking of long,
the Beatles iconic "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album is now
celebrating its 50th anniversary with a brand new stereo mix. The
spiffed up version sounds very different from the original 1967 mix, so much so it takes some getting used to. It sounds like a different album.

The
difference in clarity is the first thing you notice, Ringo Starr's
drums are so much more present, Paul McCartney's incredible bass playing
is positively vivid. George Harrison and John Lennon's guitars are
likewise more alive. Vocals are clearer than ever."

There is a strong theme (the historical plight of refugees and the
hope for a more unified world), there is an orchestra, there is a choir,
there is (most of) Hackett’s amazing band, there is Flamenco guitar,
there is flute and mandolin, there is Prog, there is Rock, there is a
mixture of styles, and yes, there is world music. And yet, there is
always Hackett’s unmistakable electric guitar.
“Behind the Smoke” starts the album gently with a flamenco-style
intro but soon turns into a massive grinding riff that suddenly,
mid-song, reveals Hackett’s intention to expose his world music
proclivities, with an eastern-sounding interlude. Soon enough, though,
the massive wailing Hackett electric guitar that we know and love,
returns to end the song. The second track, “Martian Sea”, is a
quick-paced, pop ditty that relies on Gary O’Toole’s cheerful and
up-beat drumming. It has a catchy hook and a nice Hackett solo. Again
the international influence is to be found in the sitar and violin
interludes, which sound more Eastern and Middle-Eastern than Martian.
“Fifty Miles From the North Pole” is a slow and solid track with a
James Bond-themed guitar sound. 007’s presence notwithstanding, the song
conjures images of icy, arctic travel undergone by our poor
protagonist, without the resources of “M”, nor indeed anyone else,
behind him. The solo is typical Hackett. The icy vocals are almost
spoken rather than sung, and the Eastern influences are insistently
present in the strings parts. One is just beginning to feel that the
song could have been edited to be half the length, when Hackett stamps
his authority with a great solo that could have been found on an early
Genesis record.
Tabla-like percussion (perhaps played on an acoustic guitar) hints
that “Anything but Love” might end up being pure world music, but
inexplicably, a typical Hackett acoustic guitar solo then gives way to a
pure and simple pop song that could be a top ten hit with the hook “But
you’ll never get away with anything but love”. It even has a harmonica
solo, and definitely sounds like BOC’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper”. It’s not
GTR, but it’s a great pop song.
“Inca Terra” starts as a slow and gentle ode with mythical lyrics
sung in pastoral harmony. It is the heart of the album, and given its
theme, one expects a Proggy direction, and that expectation is fulfilled
later in the song. At times it sounds almost like a Greek traditional
hymn (is that a bouzouki?), but then Hackett shows his roots with an
acoustic guitar flourish that leads into a complex and fast-paced
arrangement, climaxing in a huge Hackett solo that any Progger will
appreciate. Hints of classic Genesis in full flight appear towards the
end. A very good Prog arrangement indeed.
“In the Skeleton Gallery” has been performed live quite a few times
by now, While it is not an obvious “single” (does such a thing exist in
Prog anyway?), it seems at the start to be one of the more accessible
songs, but don’t be fooled. Slow and intense, it has a pleasing initial
melody, but expect a dark, eastern-sounding woodwind interlude, and a
quirky change of direction led by keyboardist Roger King. It then leads
into a heavy Prog instrumental arrangement built around that quirky
keyboard riff that also comprises the ending. King’s influence is strong
on this one.
“West to East” is another story of international alienation and the
need for the world to unite. While the instrumentation is suitably
precise and excellent, up to the standards expected of a musician like
Hackett, this song is all about the message. If you are opposed the exit
of Great Britain from the Union, or certain immigration policies
recently implemented by the US, expect to identify with these lyrics.
“The Gift” is a short instrumental closer that will please fans of
Hackett’s traditional guitar achievements. It is sad, lonely and
reflective and ends the album with due pensiveness.
Although not as immediately accessible as his most recent releases
times, due to the many directions taken, as well as the many world music
influences introduced, ‘The Night Siren’ is still a Steve Hackett
album, and it is one worth investing in. ‘The Night Siren’ is an album
with substance and an urgent message. Expect to be transported to the
East (or Middle East) from time to time, but expect your Prog hunger to
be satiated as well. Perhaps Steve Hackett’s darkest work, it still has
many great moments and reminds us we simply cannot ignore the fact that
Steve Hackett is indeed a living legend.
CD:
1. Behind the Smoke (6:59)
2. Martian Sea (4:40)
3. Fifty Miles from the North Pole (7:08)
4. El Niño (3:52)
5. Other Side of the Wall (4:01)
6. Anything but Love (5:56)
7. Inca Terra (5:54)
8. In Another Life (6:07)
9. In the Skeleton Gallery (5:09)
10. West to East (5:14)
11. The Gift (2:45)
Line-Up:
Steve Hackett – electric & acoustic guitars, oud,
charango, sitar guitar, harmonica, vocals (1 – 11)
Roger King – keyboards and programming (1 – 10)
Amanda Lehmann – vocals (1,2,3,6,7,8,9,10)
Christine Townsend – violin, viola (3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10)
Rob Townsend – baritone & soprano sax, flute, flageolet,
quena, duduk, bass clarinet (1, 4, 7, 9)
Gary O’Toole – drums (3, 4, 10)
Nick D’Virgilio – drums (2)
Gulli Briem – drums, cajon, percussion (7,9)
Mira Awad – vocals (10)
Leslie-Miriam Bennett – keyboards (11)
Troy Donockley – Uilleann pipes (8)
Dick Driver – Double bass (3,4,5,7)
Nad Sylvan – vocals (7)
Kobi Farhi – vocals (10)
Benedict Fenner – keyboards and programming (11)
Jo Hackett – vocals (10)
John Hackett – flute (2,10)
Ferenc Kovács – trumpet (3)
Sara Kovács – didgeridoo (3)
Malik Mansurov – tar (1)

“Memento” (DiN52) is the fifth DiN CD collaboration between label
boss Ian Boddy & renowned composer and touch guitarist Markus
Reuter. They were there at the birth of DiN in 1999 with their inaugural
release Distant Rituals (DiN2) and this latest work not only
affectionately looks back to that album but forges ahead into new
musical territory.
The album opens with the powerful tour de force of “Gyroscope” with
its ever evolving guitar arpeggios and thunderous percussion. The
following track “Spindrift” has a mysterious harmonic feel highlighted
by Reuter’s beautiful guitar playing & Boddy’s ambient production.
“Linger” & “Stay” form a pair of soundscapes where Reuter’s guitar
loop ambiences are intermingled with extraordinary analogue textures
from Boddy’s Serge modular synthesiser. The former provides a breathing
space within the album after the two opening tracks whereas the latter
brings the CD to a gentle, drifting close. The title track hearkens back
to the duos first collaborative album with it’s pulsing cut up
treatment of a Reuter guitar loop soundscape and perhaps informs the
listener as to the nature of this “Memento”. Although Boddy often keeps
in the background in terms of lead solo work when working with Reuter
the track “Deadlock” features an Ondes Martenot style synth line that
soars above this dark emotionally laden piece.
Once again Reuter & Boddy have proved to be a potent musical team
with their balance of styles producing a complex, deep album.
Effortlessly crossing genres between prog and ambient electronica it not
only looks back to their roots but creates new sonic landscapes for the
listener to explore.
Track listing:
01 Gyroscope (07:45)
02 Spindrift (06:56)
03 Linger (06:24)
04 Memento (06:31)
05 Vermilion (09:08)
06 Deadlock (09:34)
07 Stay (06:26)
Total Time: 52:58
All tracks composed, played & produced by Markus Reuter & Ian Boddy (September - November 2016).
Mixed by Ian Boddy & Markus Reuter (November 2016).
Mastered by Ian Boddy @ DiN studio (December 2016).
Markus Reuter:
Touch Guitars® AU8, 6-string Electric Guitar, Looping, Programming
Ian Boddy:
Serge & Eurorack Modulars, Moog Voyager, Ableton Live running NI
Kontakt, Spectrasonics Omnisphere & Camel Audio Alchemy

Review – Djam Karet – Sonic Celluloid – by ProgradarDjam Karet (pronounced ‘jam care-RAY) is an Indonesian word that translates loosely as “elastic time”.Djam Karet was founded in 1984 by guitarists Gayle Ellett and Mike Henderson, bassist Henry J. Osborne, and drummer Chuck Oken, Jr.,
and continue making new music even to this day, 33 years later! So far …
they have released 18 full-length albums, including the newest release ‘Sonic Celluloid’ (as well as an additional 24 minor releases and EPs and compilations, see the discography).
Compared by the press with King Crimson, Pink Floyd, The Grateful Dead, Ozric Tentacles and Porcupine Tree,
they are credited with breathing new life into progressive rock,
leading the way to the genre’s future growth. The California-based
instrumental group has often been called America’s greatest undiscovered
band.
To my ears this most inventive of bands has always been a psychedelic
instrumental sounding board and their musical ideas have always
expanded and evolved to give the listener a real Smörgåsbord of acoustic
delights. When Gayle asked me if I would be interested in reviewing ‘Sonic Celluloid’ it was a definite no-brainer!Sonic Celluloid includes all four founding members of Djam Karet: Chuck Okenjr, Henry Osborne, Mike Henderson, and Gayle Ellett, as well as Aaron Kenyon and Mike Murray.
All six play (to varying degrees) on the new album. Everyone
contributed as much or as little as they wanted to, with the huge bulk
of the work being done mostly by Ellett and Oken.
This new release is as cinematic as they come, little musical-movies running in your mind as you listen to the tracks, opener Saul Says So has
a really electronic, 70’s sci-fi feel running throughout. Quite dark
and moody in style at the start, it has you on the edge of your seat
before it opens up into something akin to a psychedelic revelation, only
one that is experienced in a supremely leisurely fashion. It seems to
float across your synapses, leaving a gentle memory everywhere where the
intricate guitar playing touches your mind. Forced Perspective takes
that soundscape and leads it on a convoluted, meandering journey with a
Southern California vibe, edgy drums, funky bass and super smooth
electronica transport you to vast landscapes of sound in your mind.
There’s more of that psychedelia that I come to expect from this
exceedingly expressive band, I just close my eyes and let the music wash
over me. It brings to mind independent art movie soundtracks, cerebral
music for the connoisseur.
The muted classical music inspired intro to Long Shot makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Subdued minimalistic synths bring to mind Jean-Michel Jarre and even a touch of early Kraftwerk to the 70’s nostalgia reunion that is going on in my mind. I begin to think of films like ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ as the track evolves into a kind of Prog inspired sci-fi melodrama. It really is an intricate sepia-tinged cinematic delight. No Narration Needed starts
with a full-on free form jazz trumpet before the music takes on a more
suspenseful tone layered with atmospheric keyboards and electronica.
There’s a timeless aura to this track, like a primordial beast that has
lived across epochs and never notices the short lived lives of the
pitiful humans who inhabit its planet. A medieval sounding guitar and
flute then punctuate the stillness to add a layer of calm and
collection. This is a track that engenders meditation and reflection and
has dignity and character at its core. There are some great titles to
the tracks on this release, Numerous Mechanical Circles being
one of them and it is a musical composition that seems to grow around
you, the flute sounds and electronic synthesisers forming a symbiosis
with an almost alien quality to it. It moves across your mind in a slow
but sure manner, all the time in the world to achieve its purpose. I can
sense a slight apprehension in the occasionally caustic keyboards and
the hesitant voice you hear in the background has a spooky, mystical
ambience to it, it is disturbing but in a very enjoyable way.
The sounds of waves and seabirds opens Oceanside Exterior,
a rhythmic and meditative piece of music that flows through space and
time and engenders images in your mind of powerful oceans braking on
immovable rocks, time and space standing still against the majesty of
nature. This is music as an elemental force but one that has no need to
be brash and in your face. The incredibly laid back guitar playing is
utterly addictive and is best experienced through a pair of high-end
headphones with a great quality glass of wine in your hand. 70’s synths
come back strongly on Au Revoir Au Reve, a
strong sentimental note can be felt all over this wistful track. Dreamy
and fanciful with a Gallic undertone, you could be walking the streets
of 1950’s Paris, a suavely dressed detective in the seedy underbelly of
this great city. The plaintive guitar is full of angst, perhaps railing
against an unsolved crime, who knows but you feel the pain. A masterful
piece of music that, once again, has your furtive mind working overtime.Pink Floyd guitar notes are very evident at the opening of Flashback,
a more hard-edged track that has an incredible depth to it, like it has
survived eons in the primordial soup of creation. It seems to be
treading water, awaiting what, we don’t know. There is a timeless
grandeur and stature to every note, especially when the powerfully
cultured guitar breaks out. The synths are the stage on which Gayle’s
fiery, blues infused guitar takes centre stage. Lower has
a post-rock gravity to it, the elegant keyboards glide around you as
the mournful guitar tells its seemingly grief stricken tale. A soulfully
forlorn piece of music that propagates a sombreness deep in your heart
and soul and moves you inside. Another excellently titled track closes
out the album, The Denouement Device is music
that stimulates a sonic journey for your body and soul, music that will
have differing effects on different people. Intense and thought
provoking, a wide-ranging and all-encompassing sound that fills your
entire being with a feeling of wonderment and lets you see things with a
childlike innocence. Genuine, contemplative and thoughtful yet it
treats you with kid gloves as it strips you of any pre-conceived ideas
and back to your bare soul.‘Sonic Celluloid’ is yet another triumph for this ever
inventive band. An intricate instrumental tour-de-force that takes the
listener on a cinematic journey through ever-evolving soundscapes
engendered in their own mind. Djam Karet are the
masters of cerebral, intelligent music for the erudite listener and have
delivered a superlative musical odyssey once again.

Review from The Obelisk:
Having proffered tonal sweetness and instrumental heavy psych groove
since their self-titled debut made its way to the ears of an eager
European scene in 2006 via Elektrohasch, the German four-piece My Sleeping Karma make a jump to Napalm Records for the release of their fourth album, the CD/2LP Soma.
If one that’s going to bring them to the attention of a wider audience,
it’s also a move for which they’re ready. Their last album, Tri (review here),
was released in 2010 and found the band focusing on various aspects of
Hindu theology, using the names of gods as themes running throughout the
mostly instrumental tracks. With the prior Satya (review here)
in 2008, it was Buddhism at the thematic fore.
Musically, they’ve
remained consistent despite working through these varied conceptual
influences – you could hear Seppi’s guitar tone on the debut and on the latestand recognize the same smoothness in it then as now, though what he’s playing is more developed – and Soma takes
for its basis the Hindu drink of the gods that shares its name. Each of
the 55-minute full-length’s six central, mostly extended (six minutes
and up) tracks is named for an “ingredient” in the soma, and each is
also companioned by a transitional interlude, making the album as a
whole an 11-track CD, beginning with “Pachyclada” and ending with
“Psilocybe,” as each pair of songs between is separated by and
interlude. This would be, at worst, a disruption of Soma’s progression, were it not for the fluidity of the material itself. If My Sleeping Karma
wanted to base their fourth album around a drink, they did right in
choosing something liquid, as there’s no better descriptive basis for
the songs themselves – they flow as a liquid would, to be clearer about
it. Rather than distract from that process, the interludes add to it,
bolstering an already rich atmosphere and adding instrumental complexity
and ambient vibing to the ebbs and flows within the more expansive,
dynamic tracks. On any level you could want to evaluate it, Soma is
a triumph in how it accomplishes the task it sets for itself – tonally,
atmospherically, engagingly. It crafts memorable parts serving a
greater whole and to call it manna doesn’t seem inappropriate (however
disparate the cultural basis might be for doing so might be) given My Sleeping Karma’s otherworldly psychedelic range.
Most of the elements at work musically on Soma will be familiar to those who’ve experienced My Sleeping Karma’s
sweetly-honed jamming before. Their apparent methodology remains
consistent despite the varying themes – they jam – in a variety of moods
and vibes, perhaps, but they jam nonetheless. Songs like “Pachyclada,”
“Ephedra” and “Eleusine Coracana” are not without their structures,
their peaks and valleys, but they have a direction underlying their
largely open-feeling development. At an even nine minutes, opener
“Pachyclada” is the longest piece on Soma (immediate points tallied to whatever scope might be kept) and sets the tone for what follows with strong hits from drummer Steffen punctuating the prevalent bassline of Matte as Seppi’s guitar gradually swells to prominence.
One thing My Sleeping Karma has always done well is craft a chorus out of the instrumentation, and Seppi
is quick to establish that of “Pachyclada” in a flicker of a lead that
returns as a sort of mini-theme within the song itself, cycling through
several times in the first half before a heavier tangent emerges in the
second, still keeping to the same kind of idea, but turning it into a
build that reaches a satisfying apex before calming and riding out, Norman’s
keys adding proggy swirls and a sort of howling tonality to complement
the guitar. From its very beginning, the song is rich and encompassing –
on headphones its pull is even greater – and the rainy transition it
makes into the first of the album’s five interludes is no less smooth
than anything on “Pachyclada” itself. The interludes are a point of
interest both sonically and conceptually, as they manage to be vastly
different among themselves while also tying the material before and
after them together. The one between “Pachyclada” and “Ephedra” is Seppi’s
guitar alone, echoing layers of simple sweetness, but to contrast, the
later interlude between “Saumya” and “Somalatha” is key-led, almost
trip-hop in its construction, so there’s more at work there than just
moving from one track to the next. With drums at the fore between
“Ephedra” and “Eleusine Coracana” and Matte’s bass accompanying birdsong between “Eleusine Coracana” and “Saumya,” it’s as though each member of My Sleeping Karma was
given an interlude of their own, finally culminating in the
breathing-topped, beating-heart contemplative minimalism of the
interlude between “Somalatha” and closer “Psilocybe.”

Planets + Persona, the 2017 studio album from Richard Barbieri, is the
most sonically expansive work to date from the former Japan and
Porcupine Tree keyboard maestro.

The album combines vintage analogue synthesisers with acoustic
instrumentation, and incorporates Jazz elements, pitching Barbieri's
unique sound designs against improvisations from a personally
hand-picked group of guest musicians that includes Percy Jones, Luca
Calabrese and Lisen Rylander Love.

As on Stranger Inside, manipulated voices (mainly courtesy of Rylander Love's real time experiments) are present.

Recorded across Europe in studios in London, Italy and Sweden,
Barbieri's third album is without doubt his most ambitious solo release
to date.

Highlighting the album's central theme of duality, the artwork on
the 16 page booklet features photographic scenes of dramatic Icelandic
landscapes.

Markus Reuter – Live in Pomona 2016

released November 18, 2016 | Performed and recorded live on
August 9 2016 during the radio show “Digital Dreams”, hosted by Mark
Dickson on WLFR. Stockton University, Pomona, NJ, USA.
Available as a FREE DOWNLOAD from Iapetus Records.
Presented here in its entirety, unedited and thus with some small
audio flaws, but split into 3 sections because of file size limitations.credits
Markus Reuter: Instant composition, Touch Guitars® AU8, Processingwww.markusreuter.com
Recorded and mastered by Markus Reuterwww.unsung-productions.com
Cover artwork by an unknown artist
Touch Guitars®www.touchguitars.com
Driver and support: George “G$” Bley

Unitopia was an Australian music group using progressive rock as a framework, but also including elements of world, classical, jazz, hard rock, and groove.Unitopia is the rare case of prog from "down under". The band was formed
by Mark Trueack (vocals) and Sean Timms (keyboard, guitar) after they
were introduced by a mutual friend who saw that the two had similar
tastes in music and the story goes that as soon as Timms heard Trueack
sing, he knew they had to do something together. They released their
first album, "More Than A Dream" in 2005 after spending 8 years on the
albums, and have since been working on material for their second album
"The Garden", which was recently released after 3 years of writing,
recording and mastering. The band's influences stretch all across the
progressive scope and make for a very intriguing sound that has one foot
in "retro"-70s style progressive while still being able to sound like
other artists in the modern progressive scene. They have a rather large
sound to them, which is no doubt helped by their 6-member roster
(including Matt Williams (guitar), Monty Ruggiero (drums), Shireen
Khemlani (bass) and Tim Irrang (percussion)). They mix a combination of
Flower Kings-like symphonic qualities with the soul of Ladder-era Yes
and Trueack's unique vocals to make the brunt of their sound.
Sean Timms has started a new band, "Southern Empire", since the dissolution of Unitopia.

Your Wilderness, their 11th studio album, showcases the band
performing without any inhibitions providing a springboard for the
ongoing creative growth of The Pineapple Thief.
For the first time, The Pineapple Thief has brought in several
special guest performers. “Since our last album Magnolia, the most eye
catching change is obviously having Gavin Harrison contribute
drums throughout the album” explains Bruce Soord. “This has not only
redefined our sound but also redefined how we approached the songs as a
band. Gavin’s drumming is technically brilliant but also incredibly
musical, and it inspired all of us to raise our game. I’ve also
rediscovered my progressive roots in terms of song-writing and
arrangement. Added to that, we were lucky enough to have John Helliwell from Supertramp contribute some beautiful clarinet parts and Geoffrey Richardson (Caravan) provided a string quartet. We were also joined by a lovely 4 piece choir and to cap it all off, my friend Darran Charles (Godsticks)
added some jaw dropping guitar playing… You’ve never heard a The
Pineapple Thief album like this one! I am convinced people will love
this record as much as we do.”
Carl Glover’s thought provoking collection of photographs perfectly
compliment the concept of the album, something which Soord is tight
lipped about. “It should reveal itself to the listener and be open
to interpretation. I don’t want what it means to me to influence how it
affects you”.
Your Wilderness was recorded entirely by the band with the exception
of the drums, which Gavin Harrison produced & engineered at his own
studio. The string quartet which was recorded at Geoffrey’s own studio
in Canterbury. The album was mixed and produced by Bruce Soord and Steve
Kitch with mastering duties also carried out by Steve. There will be a
special lossless 5.1 surround mix available with the special edition
mixed by Bruce.
Seen as one of the most vital rock bands the UK has produced over the
last two decades, The Pineapple Thief was formed in 1999 by founder and
chief songwriter Bruce Soord. The band has steadily evolved and refined
it’s sound with the bass playing of Jon Sykes and the production and
keyboards of Steve Kitch now so integral to the sound. “After so many
years, The Pineapple Thief has become way bigger than the sum of its
parts.” explains Soord.“The new album was a joy to make. More so than any other The
Pineapple Thief album before it. Everything came together so
effortlessly and I think this comes across when you hear the record.”
Bruce Soord has also collaborated with the likes of Wisdom of Crowds
(with Katatonia’s Jonas Renkse), Katatonia (joining the band on its 2014
acoustic European tour), and has created 5.1 remixes for artists such
as Opeth, TesseracT, Tim Bowness and Katatonia. Soord also released his
debut self titled debut solo album through Kscope in 2015.
The Pineapple Thief is currently booking a European tour for late 2016 and planning live shows in USA / CanadaYour Wilderness will be released by Kscope on CD, LP, digitally and as a special deluxe 12” hardback book.

I'll be filling in for CeCe on the Jazz Show tonight from 9-11. Expect extended cuts of freeform jazz from Larry Coryell, Weather Report, John Coltrane, Santana, Crimson Jazz Trio, Miles, and Steven Wilson. I'll have time for a couple of standards as well.

We'll begin tonight's show with a selection of Christmas songs recorded by some of the great musicians who passed away this year including Leon Russell, Bobby Vee, Prince, Glenn Frey, David Bowie, Paul Kantner, Sharon Jones, Greg Lake, and Leonard Cohen.
We'll follow our tribute with selections from the Jethro Tull Christmas Album and Jon Anderson's 1985 release: 3 Ships.

James Logan Cole, a singer/songwriter from Kodiak, Alaska (and a student of mine when I taught English at Kodiak High School), grew up
performing in a multitude of musical ensembles including Jazz, Funk,
Classic Rock and his high school drum line. Upon graduation, like his
father, he joined the United States Coast Guard to serve his country.
Although Logan was raised in Kodiak, Alaska, most of his family resides
in Mississippi, where his "southern-style" mentality and influence
originates from. With a vocal sound that some have compared to artists
such as Lee Brice, Darius Rucker and Brett Eldredge, Logan's warm tone
and soulful lyrics are a welcome respite from today's political and
economic climate. Logan is also a multi-instrumentalist performing every
track on his collections. From the far corners of this great country,
Logan has extended his voice to many fans, friends and music lovers.

Logan has performed his original music solo and with his band Saltwater
Heelers throughout the Hawaiian Islands, the U.S. west coast and
Alaska. He has performed at venues such as Hard Rock Cafe Waikiki and
Seattle, Room 5 Lounge Los Angeles, Santa Rosa's Harmony Festival (2011)
and opened for major recording artists such as John Cruz, Paula Fuga
and Jack Johnson. This exposure prompted his current sponsorship by
worldwide instrument manufacturer and distributer Cole Clark Guitars of
Melbourne, Australia. You can find James Logan Cole's albums
"Reflections" (2008) and "Where I Belong" (2011) on iTunes, Amazon,
Rhapsody and many more. He returns to Kodiak for two nights this Thursday and Friday at The Rendezvous - get there early for a good seat!

Hashshashin, the Australian experimental progressive drone trio, led by a bouzouki
(!), crafts wonderful melodies and Eastern European atmospheres that
also can infringe on Middle-Eastern territory. Songs like “The Ascetic”
let the prog side shine, while “Levitation” is almost pure drone /
post-metal, but there is always some portion of each throughout the
record. This is their latest release on Art as Catharsis records.http://wp.me/p3mIfa-nFz